Planning a trip to Pensacola
Getting to Pensacola
Pensacola International Airport, 12th Avenue, at Airport Road (tel. 850/436-5005), has direct flights to over 15 cities and is served by American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, Silver, and United.All the major names have rental-car operations at the airport.
Taxis wait outside the terminal. Fares are $2.50 at flag drop and $2.60 for each additional mile.
Getting Around Pensacola
Most people have their cars with them when they visit Pensacola. But there is a public bus system known as ECAT (tel. 850/595-3228) and it operates around town Monday through Friday ($1.75 adults, 85 cents seniors)—but not to the beach.
If you need a cab, call 1A&A Airport Taxi (tel. 850/478-4477), Pensacola Taxi (tel. 850/456-3000), or contact zTrip (tel. 850/433-3333).
Visitor Information for Pensacola
The Pensacola Visitor Information Center, 1401 E. Gregory St., Pensacola (tel. 850/434-1234), gives away helpful info about the Greater Pensacola area, including maps of self-guided tours of the historic districts. The office is at the mainland end of the Pensacola Bay Bridge and is open daily from 8am to 5pm. There are two other visitor centers—7 Casino Beach Blvd. (tel. 850/932-1500), and 15500 Perdido Key Dr. on Perdido Key (tel. 850/602-9279). Visit Florida has a Northwest Florida welcome center at 501 SR 8, I-10 East in Pensacola (tel. 850/875-8650) with information on all parts of the area.Time in Pensacola
Pensacola is in the Central Time zone, 1 hour behind Miami, Orlando, and Tallahassee.Getting There
Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport, 12th Avenue, at Airport Road (tel. 850/436-5005; www.flypensacola.com), underwent an $80-million renovation in 2009 and is served by AirTran, Continental, Delta, United, Northwest, and US Airways. In 2010, the airport introduced direct flights to Chicago, Miami, and Washington, D.C., via United, American Eagle, and US Airways, respectively.
Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National have rental-car operations here.
Taxis wait outside the modern terminal. Fares are $2 at flag drop and $2.25 for each additional mile.
The Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) transcontinental Sunset Limited stops in Pensacola at 980 E. Heinberg St.
Getting Around
For a trolley tour around town, check out Beach Bum Trolley (tel. 850/941-2876; www.beachbumtrolley.com), which operates one to eight tours of all the historic sights. Prices range from as low as $18 per person for a 50-minute narrated tour of Pensacola, to $150 per person for a 7-hour trolley tour and a full day of deep-sea fishing. To see the historic sights during the warmer months, take the Beach Trolley, which leaves every 30 minutes from Portofino Boardwalk and runs to Fort Pickens Gate on the west side of the island, and to Portofino Island Resort & Spa on the east side. The trolley is free from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, Friday 5pm to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight, and Sunday 5 to 10pm. New in 2010: Pensacola Trolley Tours (tel. 850/941-4363; www.pensacolatrolleytours.com), 90-minute narrated tours of historic districts on a replica 1880s streetcar. Prices are $16 for adults; $14 for students, seniors, and military; and free for kids 12 and under. For a more swashbuckling look at Pensacola, The Five Flags Trolley Company (tel. 850/435-0914; www.piratetrolley.com) offers pirate-themed tours on vintage red trolleys complete with treasure hunts, pirate fare, and tour guides in costume. Cost is $20 for adults, $5 for kids 10 and under.
ECAT (tel. 850/595-3228; www.goecat.com) also runs public buses (some of which have Wi-Fi) around town Monday through Saturday ($1.75 adults, 85¢ seniors) -- but not to the beach. Call for schedules.
If you need a cab, call Airport Express Taxi/City Cab (tel. 850/478-4477), Orange Cab (tel. 850/478-0222), or Yellow Cab (tel. 850/433-3333). Fares are $2 at flag fall, plus $2.25 a mile.
